Public wants to keep reform, Democrat says

The American public doesn't want to backtrack on the health reform law, Rep. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) said during a Washington briefing on the mid-term elections.

Van Hollen, a member of the House leadership and chairman of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, seemed confident the Democrats would retain control of the House following the elections, even though many Democrats face tough uphill battles this coming November.

When asked if health reform would work against the majority in the elections, Van Hollen responded, “I would say it's very clear that the American public do not want to go back to a time when insurance companies held all the powers.” Since the passage of health reform this spring, that power has shifted back to doctors and to the consumers, “to bring down premiums [and] give people more affordable choices,” he said.

Republicans may be calling for a full repeal of reform, and there are members of the Democratic Caucus who have reported that their constituents aren't in favor of the new law, Van Hollen said.

It's unlikely, however, that most Americans will want to see certain popular provisions repealed, such as allowing young adults to stay on their parent's coverage until the age of 26, or prohibiting insurance companies from discriminating against children, “or closing the donut hole so seniors can afford prescription drugs,” he said.

Van Hollen acknowledged that some provisions of the reform law do need to be revisited, including a controversial measure that would require businesses to report to the IRS purchases of $600 or more.